eNewsletter

February 2010

Daktronics Lights Up Historical Theatre in Paris
Theatre Le Grand Rex, Paris, France, partnered with Daktronics, Inc. to light up the façade of its famous, historic building that was built in 1932.

Daktronics manufactured and designed two vertical displays, featuring the latest LED video technology that replaced fixed banners, previously used for promotion. The displays are approximately 11.8 meters high by 2.7 meters wide (39 feet high by nine feet wide) with pixels on 23 millimeter spacing.

Three custom, curved LED displays were also installed horizontally, mimicking the façade of the building, the displays measure approximately 1.83 meters high by 25 meters wide (six feet high by 82 feet wide).

Not only are the displays relatively light, they also can be serviced from the front. A huge advantage, as displays with access to the back on that type of installation is difficult to construct.

“I’m proud to have worked with this historical theatre on such an amazing project,” said Alain Castelbou, Daktronics France, sales manager. “Everything looks great. It couldn’t have turned out any better.”

Every hour a theme will repeat on the two vertical displays. The content will relate to the current season, displaying snow falling, a beach, underwater views and blooming flowers. All of the displays will also provide information to customers about events, concerts and movies, currently playing or soon to come.

“Le Grand Rex wanted their displays to not only share information such as show-times and dates, but also to exhibit entertaining and dynamic content to attract tourists,” said Stef Manning, account manager, Keyframe. “The content we produced for the theatre was meant to do just that by incorporating 3D characters that interact with and move between all of the displays. What we produced was well received, and I anticipate future content requests.”

Theatre Le Grand Rex was built in 1932 and has officially been considered a historical building by the French government since 1981. The original auditorium seats 2,750 people and remains the largest single movie auditorium in Europe. Live concerts, film premieres and first runs are held in the auditorium. In 1974, seven additional screens were added in the space of the former basement ballroom and the building next to the theatre.

Glaciallight Launches Low Power T8 LED Tube
GlacialTech, Inc. has launched the GlacialLight T8 low power LED light tubes under the GlacialLight brand. The advantage is that the tubes are low in power consumption with under 10 W power consumption for the 2 ft tube and under 20 W power consumption for the 4 ft tube. They can support 110 VAC or 220 VAC via a G13 socket. The LED T8 Tubes are designed to replace the equivalent Cathode Fluorescent tubes (CFT) available in markets today. Using lower wattage compared with the original products, the T8 LED has the same structure and style of traditional CFT tubes but delivers a brighter performance per watt, with less heat radiation and few of the pitfalls faced by traditional CFT tubes.

There are no toxic gasses present in the design and the tubes are much more robust and weatherproof. The LED T8 Tubes can be used for general everyday use, for indoor applications, and incorporates all the latest luminary technology garnered from GlacialTech's unique resources; combining years of experience in designing cooling systems as well as all manner of consumer electronic device power supplies.

GlacialTech uses extremely high quality components designed for high brightness and long life span (min. 20,000 hrs). The lumens start at over 500 lm at a flux of 52 to 58 lm/W with 130 to 206 lux at 1 meter on the short 2 ft version, whereas the longer 4 ft version has over 1,000 lm also at 54 to 64 lm/W with 212 to 377 lux at 1 meter. The net weight varies between 0.15kg's to 0.30kg's. These products are designed to fit into standard G13 socket assemblies, and thus replace traditional tubes without any inconvenience to the user.

WAC LIGHTING Introduces Energy Efficient LEDme Quick Connect Fixtures
WAC Lighting, a manufacturer and designer of track, recessed, under cabinet, monorail and decorative lighting, has introduced LEDme Quick Connect Fixtures. 

The new LEDme Quick Connect Fixtures feature versatile, contemporary styles that can be used with WAC's single-circuit low voltage SOLORAIL and two-circuit low voltage DUORAIL system, as well as Canopy mounts. 

Orb (seen on the left) is an ultra-modern, compact, circular style fixture in the LEDme series is inspired by the round appearance of cosmic forces and planetary shapes. The streamlined fixture with a cylindrical diffuser is well suited for durability and heat dissipation while maintaining exceptional, compact style and high performance energy efficiency.

Forza (pictured on right), one of the all-new LEDme QF Fixtures depicts a contemporary, industrial mechanical design in a diminutive size. This jet engine inspired LED fixture features high performance directional LEDs with die cast aluminum construction for superior durability and heat dissipation. Forza features an interchangeable lens for added color options and diverse applications.

Both styles are offered in color temperatures of 3,000 K with a color rendering index (CRI) of 85 and output of 280 lumens at a 20° beam angle.

Developed for both residential and commercial applications, LEDme Fixtures are exclusively designed using the latest energy efficient LED technology.  Effective heat management and an advanced electronics design ensure a 50,000-hour life and a 100-15 percent range of dimming capabilities.  All of the Quick Connect fixtures are rated for 9 watt LED configurations.

The LEDme Quick Connect Fixtures are available in three handsome finishes:  Abrasion resistant dark bronze (DB), Electrical plated chrome (CH) and Brush Nickel (BN). All are offered with WAC's five-year product warranty.

Elma Expands LED Light Tube Offering with New Sizes
Elma Electronic, a designer and manufacturer of rotary components and LEDs, has expanded its M-tube line of LED light tubes with new 5 mm and 10 mm diameter options. 

The Elma light tubes’ modular design allows wide range of lengths and shapes.  Lengths of up to 2 m are available providing a wide sphere of lighting options for electronics, architecture, edge illumination, danger indication/alarm system, indirect illumination and bright signal sources. Other standards diameters for the M-tubes include 6 mm and 8 mm.  The light housings come in double-ended or optional single-ended configurations that offer a bright, precise and uniform color arrangement. The end-caps can be swapped with different colors offering more choices and various color blends.  

The M-tube LED light system is designed for the most diverse applications – any medical, industrial, defense, communications, architectural, or other application where efficient lighting is needed in various configurations. The light guides are rugged with a strong hard-plastic light bar tube that stays cool even when brightly lit. They are also highly reliable in adverse conditions and provide resistance to the effects of shock and vibration.   

Wide ranges of colors of the Elma light tubes are available, including Duo LED and RGB variant types.  Flexible color imprinting allows various widths and patterns so that the light can be beamed as a narrow spotlight or spread wide for large-area lighting. The M-tubes’ multicolor light design, low current, and a long service life cannot be matched with conventional lights.

Maxim Releases the First Two-String HB LED Driver for Automotive Applications
Maxim Integrated has introduced the MAX16838, a two-string HB LED driver for automotive applications. This device integrates a boost or SEPIC switching converter, two linear current sinks and all necessary power MOSFETs. The MAX16838 is able to optimize conversion efficiency, provide complete fault protection, and allow a 5000:1 dimming range-without any external components. This HB LED driver is well suited for LCD backlighting applications, particularly in automotive displays.

The MAX16838 optimizes conversion efficiency by automatically adjusting the switching converter's output voltage to the voltage supply required by the LEDs. A patent-pending architecture allows the device to dim LEDs over a very wide 5000:1 range at 200 Hz, while its 200 kHz to 2 MHz switching frequency can be synchronized to an external clock for improved EMC performance. Additionally, the MAX16838 includes a complete set of protections including LED fault, over temperature and overvoltage. If an LED fails open or short, the driver automatically disables the affected string while keeping the others working, thus improving system reliability.

Capable of delivering up to 150 mA per string, the MAX16838 operates over the -40°C to 125°C automotive temperature range and accepts a wide, 4.75 V to 40 V input range. It is available in thermally enhanced, 4 mm by 4 mm, 20-pin TQFN and TSSOP packages. Prices start at $1.45 (1,000-up, FOB USA).

LD-700A LED Driver Operates with 110 VAC
Now available from JKL Components Corp. is the LD-700A LED Driver that operates on 110 volts.  The driver has a 10:1 dimming ratio using PWM (Pulse Width Modulation).  Occupying a footprint of 78 by 22 mm with 16 mm above the PC board, the LD-700A Driver offers a solution situation with design limitations on space and size. 

Applications for the LD-700A LED Driver include display lighting, gaming machines, panel illumination, landscape and architectural lighting and others.  The LD-700A improves existing applications using traditional lamps by providing the opportunity to replace them with durable long life LED technology.  

Decorative LED-S14 Lamps Designed To Cut Power Consumption
NxGen Technologies, Inc. has developed environmentally-friendly, replacement lamps for the S14 shaped incandescent light bulbs commonly found in decorative lighting applications.  The lamps consume less than one watt of electricity compared to as much as the 11 to 15 watts normally consumed by incandescent bulbs of this type, while giving off the same amount of light. 

“These bulbs have been designed to pay for themselves with energy savings in less than one year, depending upon local electricity rates,” said David Allen, president of NxGen Technologies. “This is very important to users who do not want to spend more money in order for their businesses to ‘go green.’  And, the lamp has been designed to last up to 40,000 hours – this amounts to an enormous energy savings over a very long period of time.”

The S14s developed by NxGen Technologies come in all of the popular transparent and opaque (ceramic) colors and, according to the manufacturer, are indistinguishable from their incandescent counterparts.  “The ceramic red, yellow, and white colors appear identical to the incandescent bulbs in a side-by-side comparison while the ceramic blue and green are clearly brighter and more vivid than the incandescent bulbs,” said Allen.

Common applications for the S14 include decorative lighting found in restaurants, bars, theater signage and marquees, shopping malls, casinos, shop windows, festivals and amusement parks.  “Amusement parks are a good example,” said Mr. Allen.  “An amusement park that uses 10,000 or more lights can save more than 100,000 watts of electricity per hour (10.4 watts per lamp per hour).  Savings such as this really add up.”

Avago Introduces Water-Resistant HB Surface Mount Tricolor LEDs for Indoor and Outdoor Full Color Signs
Avago Technologies has developed the industry's first compact high-brightness water-resistant tricolor surface mount LEDs for use in indoor and outdoor full color signs and displays.  Avago's ASMT-YTBO Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier (PLCC)-6 Blackbody and ASMT-QTCO industry standard PLCC- 4 LEDs have been enhanced to make them water-resistant. As a result, a protection cover is not needed saving money for indoor and outdoor display designers. These compact tricolor LEDs arewell suited for use in electronic video screens and advertising signs used in transit malls, airports and stadium scoreboards.

Avago's enhanced ASMT-YTBO LEDs provide full color display application designers with better color control and contrast, a 115° viewing angle and are specially designed to meet indoor and outdoor LED screen requirements for better screen resolution (greater than 12 mm pixel size), and high-brightness performance.  They also have six leads to enable enhanced thermal management and individual color control of each chip to display a multitude of colors including white.  With dimensions of 4.4 mm by 4.4 mm by 3.5 mm, these LEDs from Avago also incorporate silicone material to extend light output performance over time.

The compact ASMT- QTCO package incorporates a separate heat path for each LED dice to enable it to be driven at higher currents. As a result, these SMT LEDs can operate in a wide range of environmental conditions to provide customers with high reliability. Both tricolor LEDs are compatible with reflow soldering processes and have a moisture sensitivity level of 2a (MSL 2a) to make them well suited for use in SMT production environments.

Avago's ASMT-YTBO and ASMT-QTCO LEDs are priced at $0.60 and $0.58 each, respectively in minimum quantities of 1,000 pieces.  Samples and production quantities are available now through Avago's direct sales channel and worldwide distribution partners.

Seoul Semiconductor to Introduce 100 lm/W LED Source During First Quarter 2010
Seoul Semiconductor, a LED manufacturer, will introduce the first 100 lm/W AC LED light source during the first quarter of 2010. Offering 25 percent greater efficiency than existing LED light products, this latest offering from Seoul Semiconductor’s Acriche brand will be available for sampling by March 1. It will be supported with a global marketing campaign.

Like other Acriche products, the 100 lm/W LED needs no AC-DC converter.  Additionally, it generates less than 1/10th the carbon emissions of an incandescent bulb, an important consideration in meeting new regulatory standards in markets worldwide.

"We're proud to introduce this next-generation Acriche with its environmentally friendly profile and cost-efficient application," said Mr. S.M. Lee, vice president of Seoul Semiconductor in Korea. "This new product represents great strides by Seoul Semiconductor's Technical Research Institute. Acriche now has up to 10 times the efficiency of incandescent bulbs and greater system level performance as compared to generic DC LEDs."

The global market for LEDs exceeds $5 billion annually, and is expected to grow at a pace of more than 24 percent annually.  Acriche is expected to appeal to the US market, where the race to instill green living practices has intensified, resulting in increased numbers of lighting systems being replaced or upgraded with LED solutions. 

Anticipating a continued robust US demand for Acriche, Seoul Semiconductor is dedicating foundry resources to ensure supplies of the product are readily available. Mass production of the new Acriche will begin in the first quarter of this year. In addition, research and marketing campaigns are underway to raise consumer awareness about the benefits of LED technology.

Sagentia and Nualight Collaborate to Create Brighter Food Retail Displays
Sagentia and Nualight Ltd have agreed to a licensing deal. Sagentia has licensed its innovative high color quality lighting technology to Nualight on an exclusive basis for the global food retail sector, enabling Nualight to offer improved LED fixtures to the retail display equipment industry. The technology is the first in the world to use ultra efficiency LEDs to generate near perfect color rendition across the full visible spectrum resulting in brighter, more vibrant displays for retailers.

Nualight has pioneered the use of LED technology for reduced energy consumption and enhanced merchandising. By utilizing Sagentia’s patented solution, the effects of natural lighting can be created when installing Nualight award winning LED fixtures. The deal further strengthens its leadership position in the food retail market

Sagentia originally developed the technology for the medical industry. The solid-state technology means that the lights generate no heat, and requires very little maintenance. Efficiency is also exceptional using up to 70 per cent less energy than conventional lighting.

“We are delighted to announce this deal with Nualight, which also marks the beginning of an exciting strategic partnership between the two companies,” said Dr. Euan Morrison, head of advanced optical and lighting technologies at Sagenti. “By incorporating our technology into its product range, Nualight will be able to offer a significant performance advantage to its customers, resulting in reduced energy costs and enhanced, more vibrant illumination systems. This will translate into a direct increase in profits for their retail customers through an increase in product sales.”
  
“By entering into this agreement with Sagentia, Nualight is further demonstrating our commitment to delivering best-in-class merchandising products to our customers through advanced, energy efficient technology,” said Liam Kelly, chief executive at Nualight. “Nualight has established itself as the lighting partner of choice for many of the world’s leading retailers and we aim to further grow our presence in the market by bringing innovative technology solutions to address merchandising challenges. Our relationship with Sagentia will enable us to bring the highest quality energy efficient lighting solutions into the retail environment and also enable us to capitalize on Sagentia’s expertise to develop breakthrough new product platforms.”

Osram Opto Semiconductors’ LED Light Site Empowers and Educates with Online Resources
The new LED Light Site from Osram Opto Semiconductors is a new source of LED information, resources, tools, technology and LED lighting solutions for the solid state lighting and general illumination spaces.  
 
Osram Opto Semiconductors has launched a new Web site dedicated to serving as an interactive online resource to educate, empower, connect and communicate with customers in the burgeoning LED and solid state lighting space.  The LED Light site, available at www.ledlight.osram-os.com, is the place for LED light resources and information tailored to customers in the outdoor, indoor, retail and architectural market segments.

“Osram Opto Semiconductors is committed to providing our customers in the general illumination market with the most up-to-date information and resources available about LED and solid state lighting,” said Tom Shottes, president and chief executive officer for Osram Opto Semiconductors, Inc.  “Our customers in the LED general illumination industries find themselves pioneering critical and growing new markets with many unmet needs and untapped opportunities, and Osram Opto Semiconductors wants our new LED Light site to be the premier resource available to help customers meet those needs.” 

www.ledlight.osram-os.com features breaking news and trends in LED lighting technology, resources dedicated to help customers apply LED lighting solutions to their specific industries, guidelines for  regulatory standards and interactive product charts where users can go directly to the datasheets and CAD files as well as the electrical, optical and thermal files.  New video content featuring Osram Opto Semiconductor experts and executives will be uploaded on a regular basis.

“The new Web site is an additional interface to our end customer,” said Michael Fiebig, Head of SSL Marketing at Osram Opto Semiconductors. “The quality of an LED lighting solution is realized in the final application with the intelligent combination of LED components, modules, lamps and luminaires which bring new lighting designs to life. LEDlight.osram-os.com offers our customers inspiration and support in designing the LED lights of the future.”

In conjunction with the launch of the new micro site, Osram Opto Semiconductor will also launch a Facebook page, LED-Light-by-Osram, and a YouTube channel, Osram LEDlight, to engage customers in new and dynamic mediums.

Global Market for Light-Emitting Diodes for Lighting Applications to be Worth $8.2 Billion In 2014
According to a new technical market research report, Light-Emitting Diodes For Lighting Applications (SMC018C) from BCC Research, the global market for LEDs is an estimated $5.4 billion in 2009, but is expected to increase to $8.2 billion in 2014, for a 5-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.7 percent.

The second-largest segment of the market, display backlighting, is expected to reach nearly $1.6 billion in 2014, after increasing at a CAGR of 11.1 percent from the estimated 2009 value of $933 million.

The automotive segment is estimated to be worth nearly $267 million in 2009, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.5 percent to reach more than $1.3 billion in 2014.

General illumination is the fastest-growing segment, with a 5-year CAGR of 16.4 percent. Its value is estimated at nearly $565 million in 2009 and is expected to grow to $1.2 billion in 2014.

A solid-state lighting initiative has been in place for 10 years and is targeted at replacing traditional lighting products, such as bulbs, with LEDs. BCC Research provides a comprehensive analysis of the progress to date and its overall market potential.
HB LEDs operate much more efficiently than traditional light bulb products. They use a fraction of the power needed for bulb technology, have much longer operating lifetimes, and contain no substances that will harm the environment. Different material structures are used to fabricate these devices, and their fabrication methods are unique.
 
This study will be of interest to those in the photonics industry, manufacturers of solid-state devices, microelectronic manufacturers, those involved with automotive and transportation lighting systems, makers of mobile devices, traffic planners, municipal administrators, and those involved with general illumination in homes, offices and industrial locations. The report also will be of interest to home designers, builders and companies engaged in the manufacture of deposition equipment.

Download the August/September 2009 Issue

Issue Features:

• 2009 Annual Resource Guide
• Case Study: A Spectacular Display of Light, Sound and Movement
• Standardization for LEDs and Solid State Lighting
• Innovative Power Reduction Techniques Enable Handset Manufacturers to Provide Media Rich Devices
• OLED Display Technology
• Integrating Power, Control Offers Flexibility and Simplicity for Lighting Applications

Toyota Tsusho America, Inc. is currently seeking an Electrical Application Engineer for their growing team of LED specialists. This person should be a self-starting, motivated Application Engineer with experience in LEDs at the component level, with device application knowledge and willingness to grow into a management level position.

This key person will assist in the development of a packaged LED component product line; supervise materials sourcing; develop product specifications and applications engineering information; support sales channels and business development with your engineering and people skills.

Your key functional roles by utilization of engineering skills and knowledge are:

• Be instrumental in development and maintenance of leading-edge world-class product lines from name-brand manufacturers to provide superior lighting solutions in a wide variety of electrical LED and lighting application to each customer.
• Leverage your technical understanding of the LED and Lighting product market to develop products/applications/sales
• Identify, participate, help resolve, develop product solutions on-time and to schedule and work to create and promote these products into successful commercial market strategies.
• Work to develop a strong business team development, participate in and share skills, and assist with product applications, quoting

Requirements:

• Bachelors Degree in Electrical, Chemical, Optical Engineering
• Minimum of 1-3 years of engineering, program management or technical sales applications
• LED Lighting experience
• Semiconductor Background
• Commercial electrical markets
• Leadership and Team building attributes
• Excellent verbal, written and presentation skills

Company Information
Leading LED manufacturer offering stability, growth, and a team environment with excellent compensation, benefits package, 401K. Contact Esther Kim at esther_kim@taiamerica.com for more information.

FEBRUARY 2010

2/2 - 2/4
2010 DOE Solid-State Lighting R&D Workshop
Raleigh, NC

2/10 - 2/12
Strategies in Light
Santa Clara, CA

ISA 2010
4/7 - 4/10, 2010
Orlando, Fla.

See What One Show Can Do! The International Sign Association’s International Sign Expo returns to Orlando, Florida, April 7–10, 2010, with the latest sign trends and technologies driving the growth of the visual communications industry.
 
There’s plenty to boost your bottom line at the largest sign show in the world:

• Eye-catching Exhibits ­ including the New Product Showcase and ISA’s Green Product Showcase
• Expert Education ­ presenting 60 new ISA Sign Academy sessions
• Exciting Special Events ­ featuring a keynote from Roger Shultz of NBC’s The Biggest Loser

Education and networking events start April 7. Trade show floor open April 8–10.
 
Register and book housing today!
 
For more information, contact ISA at (703) 836-4012 or expo@signs.org.

5/12 - 5/14
Lightfair International 2010
Las Vegas, NV

As the world’s largest annual architectural and commercial lighting trade show and conference, LIGHTFAIR® INTERNATIONAL blends continuing education courses with innovative products ranging from high-end design to cutting-edge technology.